QA Engineer/Test Engineer

Function: Technology

About QA Engineer/Test Engineer: Ensure software quality through testing and quality assurance. This role falls within the Technology function of a firm. Important aspects of this role are covered below to give you an idea about your own resume and help you distill your own experiences for a prospective employer in interviews

Primary Activities

A QA Engineer/Test Engineer in the Technology function is typically expected to perform the following activities as a part of their job. Expect questions delving deeper into these areas depending on your level of experience. This is a representative list and not a complete one; the latter are generally based on the exact nature of the role

Test Planning: Creating a comprehensive test plan that outlines the testing approach, scope, and resources required
Test Case Development: Designing and documenting test cases based on requirements and specifications
Test Execution: Running test cases, recording results, and identifying defects
Defect Management: Logging and tracking defects, collaborating with developers to resolve them
Test Automation: Developing and maintaining automated test scripts to improve efficiency and coverage
Test Environment Setup: Configuring and maintaining test environments to simulate real-world conditions
Performance Testing: Conducting performance tests to evaluate system responsiveness, scalability, and stability
Regression Testing: Repeating tests on modified software to ensure that existing functionalities are not affected
Continuous Integration: Integrating and testing code changes frequently to identify issues early in the development cycle
Collaboration: Working closely with cross-functional teams to understand requirements and provide feedback
Test Documentation: Creating and updating test documentation, including test plans, test cases, and test reports
Quality Assurance Process Improvement: Identifying areas for process improvement and implementing best practices to enhance overall quality

Key Performance Indicators

QA Engineer/Test Engineers in the Technology function are often evaluated using the following KPI metrics. Address atleast some of these metrics in your resume line items & within your interview stories to maximize your prospects (if you have prior experiences in this or a related role). This is not a comprehensive list and exact metrics vary depending on the type of business

Defect Density: The number of defects identified per unit of code or test cases executed
Test Coverage: The percentage of code or functionality covered by test cases
Test Execution Efficiency: The ratio of executed test cases to the total number of test cases
Test Case Effectiveness: The percentage of test cases that identify defects
Test Case Efficiency: The ratio of passed test cases to the total number of test cases executed
Test Case Execution Time: The time taken to execute a test case
Test Environment Stability: The stability and availability of the test environment
Test Data Availability: The availability and accuracy of test data
Test Automation Coverage: The percentage of test cases automated
Test Automation Efficiency: The ratio of automated test cases to the total number of test cases
Defect Rejection Rate: The percentage of defects rejected by developers after review
Defect Leakage: The percentage of defects found in production after release
Test Environment Setup Time: The time taken to set up the test environment
Test Case Maintenance Effort: The effort required to maintain test cases
Test Case Review Efficiency: The ratio of reviewed test cases to the total number of test cases
Test Case Review Defect Density: The number of defects identified during test case reviews per unit of test cases reviewed
Test Case Review Cycle Time: The time taken to complete a test case review
Test Environment Downtime: The duration of time the test environment is unavailable for testing
Test Case Execution Cycle Time: The time taken to execute a test case from start to finish
Test Case Execution Defect Density: The number of defects identified during test case execution per unit of test cases executed

Selection Process

Successful candidates for a QA Engineer/Test Engineers role in the Technology function can expect a similar selection process as the one outlined below. Actual process may vary depending on seniority, size/type of company etc.

Phone screening
Initial phone call to discuss qualifications and experience
Technical interview
In-depth technical interview to assess knowledge and skills in QA/testing
Coding exercise
Practical coding exercise to evaluate problem-solving abilities
Behavioral interview
Interview focusing on behavioral and situational questions
Team interview
Interview with potential team members to assess cultural fit and collaboration skills
Final interview
Meeting with senior management or HR to discuss overall fit and finalize the hiring decision
Reference check
Contacting provided references to gather feedback on past performance
Offer
Job offer extended to successful candidate

Interview Questions

Common Interview Questions that a QA Engineer/Test Engineers in the Technology function is likely to face. Prepare stories that tailor to your own experiences that may help you answer these questions effectively. This is not a complete list and more questions will be added over time. Use the topic tags in the search box below to filter by specific topics

Link	Question	Topic(s)
Link	What is the difference between verification and validation?	Software Testing Concepts
Link	What is the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?	Software Testing Concepts
Link	What is the Agile methodology?	Software Testing Concepts
Link	What is the Waterfall methodology?	Software Testing Concepts
Link	What is the difference between black box and white box testing?	Software Testing Techniques
Link	What is the difference between functional and non-functional testing?	Software Testing Techniques
Link	What is regression testing?	Software Testing Techniques
Link	What is the difference between smoke and sanity testing?	Software Testing Techniques
Link	What is a test plan?	Test Planning
Link	What is a test case?	Test Planning
Link	What is a defect?	Defect Management
Link	What is the defect life cycle?	Defect Management
Link	What is the difference between priority and severity?	Defect Management
Link	What is exploratory testing?	Testing Techniques
Link	What is boundary value analysis?	Testing Techniques
Link	What is equivalence partitioning?	Testing Techniques
Link	What is the difference between static and dynamic testing?	Testing Techniques
Link	What is the difference between positive and negative testing?	Testing Techniques
Link	What is the role of a QA engineer in an Agile team?	Agile Testing
Link	How do you handle a situation where requirements keep changing?	Agile Testing